Most counselor training programs make extensive use of videotaped demonstrations to convey information about important aspects of counselor behaviors and skills. This study investigates three questions: (1) Is an "inappropriate" counselor perceived as less effective than an "appropriate" counselor? (2) Is a recognized counselor perceived as more effective than an unrecognized counselor? and (3) What is the interaction between these two variables? Findings indicate that the inappropriate counselor was rated virtually identically whether the role player was known or unknown. However, in the demonstration of an appropriately skilled counselor, the unrecognized counselor was rated consistently and significantly lower on each subscale. These findings suggest that videotapes using unknown counselors may be less effective than those using counselors known to the trainees. (JE)